My Curry Won't Turn Out =(

[dcrookston]

I really like massaman curry, but buying it at the restaurant all the time was getting expensive, so I tried to make my own. It wasn't exactly a disaster - it tasted okay and if I didn't know what to expect I'd have thought it was fine - but it wasn't recognizable as curry. It turned out kind of like dark gravy with a bit of oil floating on top, and the taste was off. Has anyone had this happen before? If so, can you let me know what I'm doing wrong? I thought it'd be a simple matter of mixing coconut milk with a bit of curry paste and then dumping in the rest of the ingredients, and things looked like they were heading in the right direction until I got to the "add everything else" step. I think it might have been the water that did it, even though I didn't add very much. Here's the recipe I used:

http://www.thaitable.com/thai/recipes/Masaman_Curry.htm

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help.

[suegha]

I cannot believe the recipe in that link?!? 2 tablespoons of sugar <deleted>? 1 tablespoon of salt <deleted>? Don't add salt, use a little fish sauce, if ever you feel the need for sugar, use a little (half a teaspoon) or use a sweet soy sauce.

Some tips:

Get a good curry paste.

Think about how spicy you like it.

Try peanuts as well.

Never boil the coconut milk just simmer.

You stated a truth in your post. You just add the ingredients to the coconut milk that already has the curry paste in it. The ingredients that need most cooking first and so on... If using meat think about when to add it. If pork, maybe sear it first in a pan. Cut off any excess fat.

I can't understand why you had fat floating on top - you shouldn't add any oil!

I hope this helps, as my Masaman is alwaya perfect!

If you want me to write it out step by step, let me know as I do a few things for personal preference, ie not the way Thais would do it.

[BambinA]

http://www.mcdang.com/eng/Thaicuisine/Tc17.asp

Mussaman Curry with Chicken

(KAENG MASSAMAN KAI)

INGREDIENTS :

Vegetable oil 2 tbsp.

Chicken thighs with skin 1 lb.

Massaman curry paste 3 tbsp.

Coconut milk 2 1/2 cups

Pearl onions, peeled and cooked, 10

Peeled potatoes quartered 5 oz.

Roasted peanuts 2 tbsp.

Bay leaves 3 leaves

Cardamon seeds 4

Cinnamon stick, roasted 1 stick

Sugar 3 - 4 tbsp.

Tamarind paste or pulp juice 2 tbsp.

Lime juice 2 tbsp.

Fish sauce 3 tbsp.

(4 servings)

1. Cut chicken thighs into bite size pieces and boil in coconut milk until just done. Take off the stove and keep.

2. In another pot heat vegetable oil and fry the curry paste until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the paste.

3. Add a little of the coconut milk that was used to cook the chicken pieces to the curry paste to form a thick sauce. Spoon the chicken pieces into the curry and add just enough coconut milk to cover the chicken. Add peanuts and bring the curry to boil.

4. Once boiled, season the curry with sugar, tamarind paste, lime juice and fish sauce. The main flavors of this curry are a sweetness followed by a sourness from tamarind and lime and a saltiness from fish sauce. Bring the curry back to boil again and simmer until the chicken pieces are tender.

5. Add potato, cooked pearl onions, bay leaf, cardamon and cinnamon stick, Simmer for 5 minutes longer, turn off heat. The curry is ready.

Tips…

This Thai curry has on lndian influence. It is very mild and can be eaten like a stew with thick toast.

PS, i will cook Beef Massaman Next Saturday .. last Sunday i cooked Beef Curry (Japanese style)

[dcrookston]

Thank you both, I will try these things out next time.

BambinA, who is that girl in your icon? She looks very... female. I was worried my boss might see

[LaReina]

I think you should stay away from that website.

[BambinA]

I think you should stay away from that website.

Which one dear ?

The recipe i put here , it comes from a famous chef from TH

This is his CV

http://www.mcdang.com/Resume.asp

[suegha]

Thank you both, I will try these things out next time.

BambinA, who is that girl in your icon? She looks very... female. I was worried my boss might see

That's Bambi in her avatar! I can confirm that as I have met her. As beautiful in real life as on-line!

[LaReina]

I think you should stay away from that website.

Which one dear ?

The recipe i put here , it comes from a famous chef from TH

This is his CV

http://www.mcdang.com/Resume.asp

Bambina: Not yours of course. Everything you ever recommend is always awesome. I should have been more clear, I meant the OP's site. They dont wash stcky rice before cooking.

Still waiting for you to help me with my kao soi.. *pout*

Edited July 5, 2007 by LaReina

[sbathon]

Your recipe looks awesome! I can't wait to try it. One question, where do you get a "good" massaman curry paste? Where is the best place to buy one and how will I know fi it's good?

I'd like a good green curry paste as well, but don't know what to pick.

[suegha]

Your recipe looks awesome! I can't wait to try it. One question, where do you get a "good" massaman curry paste? Where is the best place to buy one and how will I know fi it's good?

I'd like a good green curry paste as well, but don't know what to pick.

The Thai make curry pastes that I get in the UK is 'Mae Ploy'. It's my favourite! You can get green, red, yellow, penang, Massaman. Best of luck in your search.

[rgs2001uk]

Your recipe looks awesome! I can't wait to try it. One question, where do you get a "good" massaman curry paste? Where is the best place to buy one and how will I know fi it's good?

I'd like a good green curry paste as well, but don't know what to pick.

sbathon

i get mine at prakhanong market, as you walk up sukhumvit on the left hand side towards on nut, just before you get to the bridge over the khlong, there is a market in there, go through to the back and turn right.

there are many stalls selling various curry pastes ranging in price from 80 to 120 baht.

i love eating massaman, its got to the stage now i can tell by the smell of the paste if its any good or not.

the same with the green, red and penang penang pastes.

it helps if you can speak a bit of thai, i also found that generally the best people to buy massaman paste from are the muslim women, again personal preference, i tend to favour their recipe.

how will you know if its good, again trial and error, i will only buy from one old lady, one time maybe she subcontracted but the paste wasnt the same, even though she told me it was the same recipe, her daughter made it, but it just didnt smell right, although the colour and texture were the same.

probably the best thing to do is buy a small amount from 5 or 6 different stalls, you will soon find you will prefer one stalls red anothers green etc.

good luck in your search, if you need anymore help let me know.

[sabaijai]

Thai curries tend to separate if you don't braise/stir-fry the curry paste in a small amount of coconut cream (not milk) in the saucepan first till well blended, aromatic and bubbling. Then you can add the other ingredients and continue cooking.

McDang (his Thai nickname, meuk daeng, means 'red squid') probably knows only about one-tenth as much about Thai food as his father, whom I profoundly respect.

Note that all of McDang's formal training is in Western cooking. Farang cuisine is more McDang's thing, although since he could never achieve fame cooking farang food (though he was a chef in several restaurants in America, none of them Thai), he is trying to make it as a Thai chef/TV personality. There are better Thai chefs in Thailand and abroad (sorry Bambina!) but TV loves his flamboyant personality.